The founder of Paddington Station Preschool is stepping aside in her role as school director, as parents continue to search for answers about a former teacher at the center of a child-pornography investigation.

During a parents meeting Friday night, school officials announced that Pippi Hambidge is stepping out of her role as head of the private preschool. The preschool has started a search for an interim head of school, who will decide Hambidge's future involvement with the school, said George Merritt, a spokesman for the school.

About 400 frustrated parents attended the meeting at a hotel in Cherry Creek North, which was scheduled more than a week after teacher David Moe was arrested. Most parents left upset, learning few details about the investigation of Moe, who is accused of possessing and distributing child pornography.

Moe, 45, worked at the school for 18 years.

School-board members Nicholas Kemp and Betsy Crane told parents that Moe called the school July 24. He told them his neighbor's home had been burglarized and that he was taking the day off. That was the last time the school heard from him.

Hambidge, who founded the school in 1993, did not attend the meeting Friday. Hambidge serves as the school's director and sits on the three-person school board.

Officials said they did not know if Hambidge would continue to serve on the board. Several parents were outraged that Hambidge did not attend the meeting, said one parent who asked not to be named.

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"The lack of concern and integrity for the safety of the children, past and present, is appalling," she said. "It seemed very self-serving, like she was more concerned about herself and her liability."

Several parents in the crowd demanded details about an incident involving Moe and a 3-year-old girl at the school more than 10 years ago.

Authorities found handwritten notes at Moe's home detailing the incident, according to an affidavit. The notes stated that Moe was accused of taking a little girl to the bathroom and touching her inappropriately.

Moe's notes, which were written during a meeting with the girl's parents, said nothing was ever proved.

Moe told investigators that policies changed during his employment at the preschool. Current policies require that only females are allowed to change diapers and that two adults must escort children to the bathroom, according to the affidavit.

A woman at the meeting identified herself as the mother of the girl involved in the incident, the parent said. She told the crowd that parents whose children were left in Moe's care should be worried.

School officials at the meeting said the school is working to gather more information about the incident. They said there was some kind of review at the school but that they do not believe the investigation was sent to authorities.

"There is such a lack of leadership and accountability," the parent said. "People were so surprised that there was no record of the incident."

Preliminary reviews of some 500 CDs and DVDs found at Moe's home and files found on the desktop of his computer contain a mixture of child pornography and adult pornography, according to the affidavit.

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